Registering and canceling ballot-box



(No Model.)

T. F. DODGE.

REGISTERING AND GANOELING BALLOT BOX.

No. 391,518 Patented Oct. 23, 1888.

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UNITED STATES PATENT @rrice.

THOMAS F. DODGE, OF LAlVTON, MICHIGAN.

REGiSTERING AND CANCELBNG BALLOT=3OX= SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 391,518, dated October 23, 1888.

Application filed Xovember 29, 1887. Serial No. 256,469. (X0 model.)

To aZZ whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, THOMAS F. DODGE, a citizen of the United States, residing at Lawton, in the county of Van Buren and State of Michigan, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Ballot-Boxes; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention has for its objects to guard against frauds and errors in elections and electoral counts. This is effected by making the depositing of each ticketin the ballot-box depend on the turning of a pair of cylinders, which are operated by hand, and in turn actuate both an alarm and registering mechanism,

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 represents a perspective view of my improved ballot-box, partly broken away to show the inside mechanism, the view being taken from the side opposite to that on which is the crankhandle and from apoint toward the rear. Fig. 2 represents the registering mechanism in elevation with the covering-plate removed. Fig. 3 represents a detail end view of the cylinders and guard-plate with the casing, pawl-ratchet, and a part of the shaft. Figs. A, 5, and 6 represent additional detail views.

In the said drawings, A designates the ballot-box, having glass panes a in its four sides and an opening, A, in its top for the admission of ballots, as usual. Two plates, B, are attached to the under side of the top of said box at each end of said opening for ballots.

They form a casing for the spaceimmediately below said opening, and also for two cylinders or rolls, Oand D, which turn in said spaceside by side,with the narrow interval between them under and parallel to said opening for ballots. Cylinder O has annular series of teeth 0 on its periphery, which take into grooves d,of corresponding form and position, in cylinder D. At each rotation of said cylinders they take hold of a ballot and feed it down to the interior of said box. The teeth 0 efiectually prevent the ballot from slipping through, and no other can take its place between the rolls until it has been fed downward sufficiently to be out of the way.

Cylinder D has a short shaft, D, which turns in plates B; but cylinder G has a long shaft, journaled in hearings on the sides of the box itself and provided at one end with a crankhandle. F. The other end of said shaft E car- U ries a bent pin, f, which strikes at each rotation against the tail of a bell-ha1nmer,G, which acts against a bell, H. This hammer is suspended from a rod, 1, which is fastened at its ends to a bracket, J, that is secured in turn to the top of the box on the under side thereof. A spring, K, wound on said rod, acts on said hammer to throw it against said bell. The stroke of pin f against this hammer tempo rarily draws it back against the tension of said spring and then releases it, when the spring causes the hammer to strike the bell smartly, and the alarm announces that another ballot has been fed into the box. Another pin,f, preferably joined with fat top, forming a complete staple, at each revolution of shaft E and the cylinders strikes against one of the peripheral teeth at of the unit-wheel M of a series of registering-wheels attached to the inside of the ballot-box. This wheel carries a projection, g, which in like manner actuates step by step the tens-wheel X, having peripheral teeth a and projection a. This tens-wheel similarly actuates the hundreds wheel 0, having pe ripheral teeth 0. On theinnerside these wheels are protected byaplate, L, attached to thebox. On the outer side each of them is provided with a dial-face, the figures of which are successively visible in regular order (as the balloting proceeds) through openings Zin the side of the box. These openings are covered by countersunk mica shields, as shown in Fig. 6.

The roll or cylinder D is covered with rubber to increase friction, and its rotation is caused by the action of the teeth on the other wheel.

A ratchet'wheel, P, carried by shaft E, is en gaged by a spring-pressed retainingpawl, 1', on one of the plates 13, so as to prevent the backward motion of the cylinders. A curved clearing-plate, Q, is attached to the under side of the top of the box at one end of the space between the plates B, and presents its lower edge toward the cylinder 0, this edge being provided with recesses g to accommodate the teeth 0. The edges of these recesses strip from said teeth the particles of paper which they may pick from the ballots, and thus keep them in condition for work. The plate Q, furthermore, protects these teeth and the cylinder from external matters.

Having thus described my inventioinwhat I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. The combination of a ballot-box, A, having an opening, A, in its top, with two feeding-cylinders arranged below said opening and a clearing-plate, Q, attached to the underside of the top of said box, one of said cylinders being provided with feeding-teeth and the lower part of said clearing-plate beingin proximity to this cylinder, but provided-with recesses in its edge to allow the rotation of said teeth,substantially as set forth.

2. A pair of feeding-cylinders for ballots, in combination with the shaft of one of said cylinders extended beyond the same and provided with pins or staples f f, and a registeringwheel and alarm actuated by said pins or sta ples as each ballot is fed by said cylinders, sub stantially as set forth.

3. A pair of feedingcylinders arranged below the ballot-hole of a ballot-box, in combination with the shaft of one of said cylinders extending longitudinally at one end, the casing B, through which said shaft passes, a ratchet on said shaft, a spring-pressed retaining-pawl attached to said casing and engaging said ratchet, pins or staples f f, carried by said shaft, and an alarm and registering mechanism operated thereby, substantially as set forth.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

THOMAS F. DODGE.

Witnesses:

G. F. DEY, J UAN MoREYEs. 

